Dubai - MENA Herald: Dubai Science Park (DSP), the Middle East region’s first science-focused business community, hosted a business breakfast this week at its Laboratory Complex in partnership with leading regional law firm Al Tamimi & Company.

Attended by a delegation of healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs, the focus was on current opportunities and enablers within the healthcare sector that have been identified by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Task Force of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 for the first time. The event also addressed the importance of effective intellectual property protection.

Experts from Dubai Science Park and Al Tamimi & Company delivered presentations on the topics, followed by an interactive question-and-answer session and an opportunity for networking.

Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Executive Director at Dubai Science Park and Chairing Member of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Task Force of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, said: “Lately, the team at Dubai Science Park has focused on collaborating with The Executive Council of Dubai and other key stakeholders with the objective of identifying industry opportunities and enablers that are enhancing Dubai’s healthcare sector.”

He added: “The Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Task Force of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 has identified several core industry sectors as outlined during the presentations, such as 3D printing, supergenerics and nutraceuticals, that we will be focusing on, ensuring that Dubai Science Park continues to act as an enabler to the science sector. We are delighted to share our findings for the first time at this week’s breakfast event and we hope delegates find the information valuable to their respective organisations.”

Presenting the recommendations of the project commissioned by DSP, Hasan Kapar, Head of Consulting Services at QuintilesIMS, identified five key sectors that support the Dubai Industrial Strategy’s objectives of diversifying the UAE economy. He said “Some of the most promising opportunities in the healthcare sector at the moment in terms of size, growth prospects, investment intensity and differentiation capabilities in the Middle East region include 3D printing, nutraceuticals, blood plasma, and next-generation sequencing. Countries such as Ireland and Singapore have led the way, however, Dubai offers unique opportunities for manufacturers through dedicated business enablers such as Dubai Science Park.”

In the near future, the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Task Force will appoint specialised working groups for each of these areas. The industry experts will be tasked with the implementation of the goals to meet an ambitious timeline, showing tangible results starting in one year’s time and stretching over a ten-year period.

He added: “The health care industry is experiencing rapid changes, and as the UAE is working to cement its status as a global innovation hub, life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical technologies provide a clear opportunity for the country to achieve its goals. The time is now for the UAE to be at the forefront of the local and global surge in the development of new technologies in these sectors, and it is imperative we focus on the intellectual property protection of these innovations to ensure their success.”

Established in 2014 as a quarterly event, the Dubai Science Park Business Breakfast series brings together science-focused experts from government, business and academia to facilitate discussions about pressing topics related to various fields of science, energy and environment.